2018 Nissan Leaf Photo 44 of 14The new Leaf also gets e-Pedal, which is like a jake brake -- lift off and it slows you down quicker, depending on how much you lift off. Nissan says it reduces the number of times the driver must apply the brakes while commuting in heavily congested traffic.

2018 Nissan Leaf first drive: More features, greater range

The second generation of the world’s best-selling electric car is better in every way

December 11, 2017

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It all starts with a better battery. Not a bigger battery, because this one fits into the same space under the seats as the one before it, but thanks to advances in energy density and battery chemistry, the 2018 Nissan Leaf has crammed 40 kWh into the space previously taken up by 30 kWh. For reference, a kilowatt hour, or kWh, is equal to the energy used by your 1000-watt hair dryer if it’s left on for 60 minutes; the number of kWhs equals the size of the “gas tank” on an electric car -- more kWh equals more range. That means the 2018 Leaf will go 150 miles on a charge.

Most electric cars on the market make it a little over 100 miles on a charge. Then at the top of the class are a couple cars that go over 200 miles, like the Chevy Bolt (which exists) and the Tesla Model 3 (which doesn’t, at least not in any significant numbers). Nissan says the 150-mile range of the 2018 Leaf occupies the “white space” between lower-range EVs and those range-topping segment leaders. Nissan hopes this means a gold mine in sales.

In addition to a better battery, Nissan upgraded the car’s power inverter from 80 kW to 110 kW. That means output goes up to 147 horsepower, an increase of 37 percent, with peak torque up 26 percent to a sapling-pulling 236 lb-ft. So you have a broadly useable and potentially even a little thrilling – maybe? – performer.

The 2018 Nissan Leaf's dash doesn't have one of those floating iPad things, using instead an old-fashioned 7-inch screen

Then Nissan added technology to the package. Among the new technobits, the company seems most proud of its optional ProPILOT ASSIST, which it kept saying is NOT an auto pilot.

“ProPILOT ASSIST is a hands-on driver assist,” clarified one exec at the Leaf presentation. “It requires that you keep at least one hand on the wheel. It is a support system and assist system. It is not self-driving, we still need a driver. It’s purely assisting the driver. It’s not driving.”

Got that? Is it an auto pilot? No! It will help to steer the car if it can identify two lane lines, and it will operate the accelerator and brake pedals for you. However, when ProPILOT ASSIST is on, you have to wiggle the steering wheel at least every ten seconds or it starts beeping at you. If you continue to ignore it, it eventually assumes you’ve had a heart attack and slows to a stop with the emergency flashers on. Tesla at least gives you two minutes of hands-free driving.

This is handy: with a simple adapter, the charge cable that comes with the new Leaf can be used for 120- or 240-volt charging, eliminating the need for one of those expensive wall-mounted chargers. Just plug it in to an existing dryer outlet.

Nissan seemed second-most-proud of the Leaf’s new e-Pedal feature, standard on all models. It’s essentially a fourth driving mode, after normal, eco and B for braking. In e-Pedal mode the amount of regen is controlled by how much you lift your foot off the accelerator pedal. In theory, they say, you might never need to touch the brake pedal, which will make for easier driving.

The new Leaf also gets a slicker new exterior design: That’s what’s called a floating roofline on top and a V-motion layered grille in front. Inside, the dash is centered around a new seven-inch touchscreen, embracing the trend toward iPad-like singularity of EV dashboards. You can get Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, and you can even get Amazon's Alexa to warm up the cabin before you leave the house on a cold day. Or just do it via your smart phone with the Nissan Leaf app.

Steering improvements make the new Leaf more lively to drive.

So, bearing all this in mind, off I drove in a new Leaf to try it all out.

First thing I noticed, and I mean right out of the parking lot, was the increased power and torque. This thing is fast, or at least faster than the last Leaf. Granted, “fast” is relative in this part of the electric car market. But you will notice it, too. “I must try a 0-60,” I told the voices in my head.” But the damned voices forgot to remind me and I can’t tell you how much faster is to 60 mph. Sorry. I hope to get another one soon and give you a number. Nissan doesn’t list one. The old one got to 60 in about 10 seconds and I’d guess this one’s about eight seconds to 60 -- no Tesla Model S, but it’ll get out of its own way.

The steering is much improved, too. Nissan didn’t mention it in the presentation I got beforehand, but the electric power steering has new software and a 10 percent increase in steering torsion bar stiffness, which makes for a surprisingly more sprightly feel, again, by the standards of the class. The steering column itself only tilts a little bit and doesn’t telescope, which must have been some sort of cost-cutting measure. I managed.

Not just a leaf blower, the new powertrain makes 147 hp

Next thing I did was switch on ProPILOT ASSIST, which I immediately decided to start calling simply, ProPilot Assist, without all those caps. As with a lot of these driver-aid systems you have to give it a while and use it in the manner in which it was intended before passing judgement. This one works best on a freeway with well-marked, well-defined lanes. My first try was on a winding road with poorly-defined lanes. The painted lines on either side would break off here and there and the splotchy morning light and shadows made them hard for the system’s camera to recognize. Once I got on Hwy. 101 it was much better. But you have to keep a hand on the wheel at all times, so it’s limited in what it can do, at least compared to systems from Cadillac and Tesla. More time behind the wheel will let me get it down better.

The e-Pedal works about as advertised. I’ve always wanted more control over regenerative braking, ever since I used the lever-activated regen on AC Propulsion’s original Honda Civic electric powertrain conversion about 25 years ago. This may be the closest any manufacturer has come to handing regenerative braking control over to the driver. The more you get off the pedal, the more the regenerative braking comes on. With just a little bit of planning, you can do your whole commute without ever having to touch the brake pedal to engage the traditional hydraulic brakes. You get longer –- possibly infinite -- pad life, and you get more out of every charge. Efficiency! I found that I got almost exactly Nissan’s claimed 150 miles of range, after extrapolating a 52.2-mile drive and comparing the charge left in the battery. That was despite hammering the throttle a fair amount. So good for you, Nissan.

Trunk space is up just a little in the new Leaf

The Leaf is the biggest-selling electric car ever and has been since it was the first mass-market EV launched, way back in 2010. That Leaf was a purpose-built EV from day one, unlike most of the competition, which simply converted existing gasoline cars to electric power in order to meet California’s draconian ZEV mandate. That mandate seemed to have worked, too: Nissan points out that while there are 18 EVs on the market now, there will be 37 models by 2023.

If you’re ready to plug in to that future, the Leaf could be exactly what you’re looking for when it goes on sale toward the end of January. Starting price is $30,885, $690 less than the previous model, with more content, Nissan says. All models are priced lower and have more content than before, so you can’t complain about sticker shock here. If you want to complain about range, then hang on another year, because Nissan said there’ll be a Leaf next year that will have a 200-plus-mile range.

And if that’s still not enough to convince you, Nissan at least suggested the possible use of V2H, or vehicle-to-house. If such a system ever comes online, you’d be able to use your car as a battery to store energy for use in your house. During hot afternoons when everybody’s air conditioners are on, you could be happily humming away powering your household A/C from your car. Then late at night, when rates are lowest, you could recharge your Leaf from the grid. It’s a cool idea and one I would be happy to try out as a beta tester. The idea sure sounds efficient, which, after all, is what electric cars are all about.